🔗 linkblog: my thoughts on '‘God Is Under the Rubble in Gaza’: Bethlehem’s Subdued Christmas - The New York Times'

24 December 2023 - kudos:

Again, what’s going on isn’t bad because it happens to touch on things significant to Christians, and it’s bad when Christians only care about Palestine and Israel because it fits with their religious worldview. Yet, it would be a missed opportunity to talk about Bethlehem this Christmas season without asking about the West Bank, Israel, and Gaza, and how to make a better world for everyone there. link to “‘God Is Under the Rubble in Gaza’: Bethlehem’s Subdued Christmas - The New York Times”

🔗 linkblog: my thoughts on 'With war raging in Gaza, Christmas in Bethlehem has been canceled : NPR'

16 December 2023 - kudos:

As I’ve written before, I’m skeptical when Christians see the Middle East uniquely through the particularities of our beliefs and tradition—there’s so many ways that can (and does) go wrong. Yet, if we’re going to sing and preach about Bethlehem this year, we ought to use modern Bethlehem to get us thinking about a better world for the West Bank, Israel, and Gaza. link to “With war raging in Gaza, Christmas in Bethlehem has been canceled : NPR”